One Shenzhen Bay comprises eight towers and three levels of retail. Rather than stacking the towers upon a podium, the design pushes all the retail functions to the perimeter, and brings the towers down to the ground. The resulting effect is of a community of buildings, instead of a singular, overwhelming gesture. Through-block circulation and cross ventilation are encouraged through a series of openings that punctuate the site perimeter and invite exploration into the public plazas and gardens that lie within the center of the site.

Plants are used as a vital part of the material palette. All public and private functions at One Shenzhen Bay are linked directly or visually to green spaces. Extensive soft, green surfaces replace hardscape. Over a third of the open space is permeable and 85 percent of the project’s roof space is used, much of it as green roofs. Where hardscape is inevitable, paving is used to define program zones. Through pattern and material change, larger areas of paving are broken down into more digestible segments. Water features, public art, and seating add points of interest throughout the site.

One Shenzhen Bay promotes a life lived outdoors. Every residential unit has private and shared outdoor space. Retail promenades are directly connected to the streetscape and internal plazas. The community can enjoy courtyard gardens, view gardens on the podium roof, and the active south plaza. Visitors can walk along an elevated, landscaped promenade that links to adjacent blocks, public transportation, and the waterfront park.